Bible Commentaries

Psalms 125:1. They that trust in the Lord — Who depend upon his care, and devote themselves to his honour; shall be as mount Zion — Which is firm, as a mountain supported by providence, and much more so as a holy mountain, supported by promise; which cannot be removed — Or, overthrown, by any winds or storms, both because of its own greatness and strength, and because of the divine protection afforded to it.

Psalms 125:2. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem — Defending it, not only from stormy winds and tempests, the force of which these mountains broke, but from the assaults of its enemies. And such a defence is God’s providence to his people. His protection is round about them on every side, and is constant and persevering, from henceforth, says the psalmist, even for ever. Mountains may moulder and come to naught, and the rocks be removed out of their place, (Job 14:18,) but God’s covenant with his people, with those who persevere in faith, love, and obedience, cannot be broken, nor his care of them cease, Isaiah 54:10.

Psalms 125:3. For the rod of the wicked — Their power and authority; shall not rest — Not continue long; upon the lot of the righteous — Upon the habitation and persons of good men. Lest the righteous put forth their hands, &c. — Lest, through human infirmity, and the great weight or long continuance of their troubles, they should be driven to impatience, or to despair, or to use indirect and sinful courses to relieve themselves. We learn from this that God considers the frail frame of his people, and proportions their trials to their strength, by the care of his providence, as well as their strength to their trials, by the power of his grace. Oppression may make a wise man mad, especially if it continue long, therefore, for the elect’s sake the days shall be shortened, that, whatever becomes of their lot in this world, they may not fall short of their inheritance in the next.

Psalms 125:4-5. Do good unto those that be good — As thou hast promised to keep thy people from evil, (Psalms 125:3,) be pleased, also, to vouchsafe unto them those blessings which will be good for them. Deal well with those that are truly good, and reward the fidelity of them that are upright in their hearts — Who, notwithstanding the calamities with which they are chastised and tried, still persist in thy ways and preserve their integrity.

As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways — But, as for those unstable persons who, either through fear of the rod, mentioned Psalms 125:3, or for other considerations, shall turn aside from those good ways, which, for a time, they professed to walk in, unto sinful courses, and who, instead of growing better by the Lord’s chastisements, decline more and more from the paths of righteousness; the Lord shall lead them forth — Namely, unto punishment, as malefactors are led to the place of execution; with the workers of iniquity — With the most obstinate and profligate sinners, with whom he will appoint them their portion; for, as they partook of their sins, they shall also partake of their plagues. But peace shall be upon Israel — Upon the true Israel of God. When those that have treacherously deserted the ways of God meet with their own destruction, they that faithfully adhere to them, though they may have trouble in their way, they shall have peace in their end.